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Since October 7, 2026, you can connect an active Zadarma number through Famulor's carrier-import workflow. The most important step comes before the import: decide whether the number should route directly to an AI assistant or whether your existing Zadarma PBX must continue controlling the call flow. Automatic import and manual PBX routing solve different problems.
Key takeaways
- Automatic import is designed for an active direct SIP number that is not linked to the Zadarma PBX.
- Each imported number uses its own connection and dedicated SIP login.
- If the existing PBX must continue managing schedules, queues, or extensions, use the documented manual PBX path.
- An API key and API secret are not SIP credentials.
- Test inbound and outbound calls, two-way audio, caller ID, and transfers separately.
What the new Zadarma import handles #
The new workflow connects your Zadarma account, loads eligible numbers, and creates the SIP-routing configuration for the selected number. According to the Famulor changelog dated October 7, 2026, you select a SIP region and assign an assistant after import. The same carrier workflows are also available through the Public API, MCP, and Famulor CLI.
This is narrower than a complete PBX migration. The import does not configure Zadarma PBX forwarding or SMS. It also uses one connection per active number, so an additional number requires another connection.
That focus distinguishes this guide from the broader introduction to BYOC with Famulor. The question here is not whether you can use an existing number, but which Zadarma routing path fits the current call flow.
Automatic import or manual connection? #
Choose the path based on which system should control the call flow. The Famulor Zadarma guide documents three approaches.
| Approach | Best fit | Routing impact | Who manages the details? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic carrier import | A direct SIP number should be assigned to a Famulor assistant | The import replaces that number's SIP destination | The connection manages SIP login, region, and routing |
| Manual direct SIP | You want to set and control the SIP destination yourself | You enter the Famulor SIP host as the external destination | Your telephony team |
| Manual PBX extension | The Zadarma PBX must keep its queues, schedules, or forwarding conditions | The PBX forwards the chosen extension to an external SIP URI | Your PBX plus the Famulor SIP trunk |
Do not use automatic import for a number whose existing PBX scenario must remain unchanged. The import replaces the direct SIP assignment. For mixed human and AI flows, a manual PBX extension is often the more suitable documented architecture.
Prerequisites before import #
Check the telephony side in Zadarma first. This prevents a valid API connection from failing later because the selected number or SIP login does not fit the workflow.
- Active virtual number: The number must be active, and any test mode must be disabled.
- Direct SIP login: For automatic import, the SIP login must not be linked to the virtual PBX.
- Available login slot: Keep one SIP login slot free. Zadarma may require an initial top-up and a connected number before allowing another login.
- Outbound balance and permissions: Outbound tests require balance and permission for the destination.
- API access: In Zadarma, openSettings → Integrations and API → Keys and API , then copy the key and secret separately.
The official Zadarma API documentation confirms that API requests are authorized with a user key and a signature. Treat both values as credentials. They do not belong in an assistant system prompt, a knowledge base, or a test report.
API access is not SIP access
This distinction prevents a common class of configuration errors:
- API key and API secret let the import inspect the Zadarma account, list available numbers, and create the connection.
- SIP login and SIP password authenticate outbound calling in a manual direct-SIP or PBX path.
- PBX extension login uses the complete Zadarma login rather than only the short extension number.
Store these values only in the designated connection fields, never in conversational instructions.
Import the Zadarma number automatically #
The automatic path fits a number that should route directly to Famulor.
1. Open the connection workflow
In Famulor, go to Settings → Phone numbers → Add a number → Import from your carrier → Zadarma. Give the connection a clear name, especially when an agency manages numbers for several customers.
2. Add credentials and select a region
Enter the API key and secret in their separate fields. Then select the SIP region. That region determines the inbound signaling endpoint, so changing it later should trigger a fresh test of both call directions.
3. Load the number list
Load the numbers from the Zadarma account. The interface identifies whether a number is active, already imported, or routed elsewhere. Select one eligible active number.
4. Complete import and assign an assistant
Import one number per connection. The workflow creates a dedicated SIP login and sets the fixed outbound caller ID for that connection. Assign the intended assistant after the import completes.
5. Test before production use
Place at least one inbound and one outbound test call using a destination you control. Do not stop after hearing ringing. Confirm two-way audio, the displayed caller ID, the History record, and every transfer path the assistant is expected to use.
Practical example: property management with an existing switchboard #
A property-management company uses a well-known Zadarma main number. During business hours, a PBX queue distributes calls to the team. After hours, an AI assistant should capture maintenance issues, structure callback details, and send genuine emergencies to the on-call service.
Automatic import of the main number would not be the first choice because it replaces the direct SIP destination. The documented PBX approach preserves the existing flow:
- The main number stays assigned to the existing Zadarma PBX scenario.
- A PBX extension becomes the route to the AI assistant.
- The PBX forwards to the external Famulor SIP URI under the chosen schedule or queue condition.
- The Famulor assistant receives only the intended calls.
- A separate transfer test validates the handoff to the on-call service.
Zadarma documents External Server SIP-URI routing for both direct numbers and PBX extensions in its official routing instructions. Always take the exact Famulor destination and current signaling addresses from the Famulor interface or the current provider guide.
For a broader walkthrough covering 3CX, STARFACE, and Asterisk, use the guide to connect an AI voice agent to an existing PBX. This article remains intentionally specific to Zadarma.
Production test matrix #
One successful call is not a complete telephony test. Use a short matrix that isolates each path.
| Test | Expected result | Why test it separately? |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound call | Correct assistant answers and audio works both ways | Confirms inbound routing and the media path |
| Outbound call | Destination rings, audio works, and the correct caller ID appears | Uses its own credentials, balance, and destination permission |
| Busy or no answer | The defined fallback occurs | Prevents silent dead ends |
| Transfer | The target receives the call and both sides can hear each other | Inbound success does not prove transfer support |
| Number format | Public DID and caller ID use international format with + |
Prevents mapping and presentation errors |
| History | The test call appears under the correct assistant | Supports later diagnosis |
If a test fails, start with Troubleshoot on the carrier connection and confirm that you chose the intended SIP path. According to the Famulor provider guide, an extension shown as “offline” does not by itself prove that external forwarding failed.
Limits, privacy, and telephony notes #
Zadarma import automates routing, not the whole telephony strategy.
- PBX remains a separate architecture choice: Automatic import and a PBX extension are alternative routes. The import does not recreate an existing PBX scenario.
- SMS is not included: The current Zadarma import does not configure Zadarma SMS.
- Multiple numbers require multiple connections: Plan naming, ownership, and testing per number.
- Caller ID is not arbitrary: Use the public number associated with the connection and confirm its presentation with a controlled test destination.
- Recording and consent are configured separately: Enable recording only after reviewing the legal basis and assistant settings for the intended use. TheFamulor consent and conversation-quality guide describes the relevant controls.
- Product controls are not legal advice: TheConsent & Compliance documentation states that jurisdiction, outreach purpose, and communication channel still require separate legal review.
Document who owns the carrier connection, which number it affects, and what routing existed before import. That record makes a later rollback easier to understand.
Plan rollback before you need it #
Do not remove a production number unexpectedly during live operations. Decide where calls should go afterward and reserve a controlled test window.
The current changelog says that removing an automatically imported Zadarma number restores its previous direct SIP destination while preserving later routing changes made in Zadarma. Even so, call the restored path from an external phone. Account state, PBX rules, or carrier settings may have changed independently of Famulor.
Conclusion #
The new Zadarma import reduces manual SIP work for a direct, dedicated number. Its real value depends on the routing decision made first: automatic import for direct assignment, manual direct SIP for operator-managed routing, or a PBX extension when an existing human call flow must remain in control.
Verify credentials, number state, and SIP assignment before import. Afterward, test both call directions and every transfer path. That produces a traceable transition instead of a risky one-step cutover.
Frequently asked questions #
Can I automatically import a number linked to a Zadarma PBX?
Automatic import is documented for an active direct SIP number whose SIP login is not linked to the PBX. Use the manual PBX path when the existing PBX scenario must remain in place.
Can one connection import several Zadarma numbers?
No. The current workflow imports one active number per connection. Create another connection for each additional number.
Does the import configure SMS?
No. The current Zadarma import configures voice routing, not Zadarma PBX forwarding or SMS.
Is one successful inbound test enough?
No. Test outbound calling, caller ID, and transfers separately because they use different credentials and routing paths.
What happens when I remove the imported number?
According to the changelog, the previous direct SIP destination is restored. Test that restored route with an external call afterward.
Writer at Famulor